Improving nourishment of underprivileged tribals
In fiscal 2021, ICICI RSETIs launched a new initiative, ‘Suposhan Vatika’ (nutritional garden), for
serving the malnourished families of tribal communities. The intervention, a joint effort of ICICI
RSETI and the government of Rajasthan, was introduced in 10 underdeveloped blocks in Udaipur
district.
Under the project, kitchen gardens were developed in the backyards of the homes of these families.
Each garden, referred to as Suposhan Vatika, has upto 12 types of vegetables and three fruit plants.
Each of these gardens can produce nearly 400 kilograms of fruits and vegetables annually. The
produce from the garden
acts as a vital supplement to the regular diet of these families.
The Government of Rajasthan provides financial aid towards procuring seeds, while ICICI RSETI,
Udaipur offers pro bono training to families identified by the Women and Child Welfare Department
of the state government. The three-day training programme includes theoretical and practical
sessions. Under this project, identified families are given training to develop a vegetable seed
bed, seed treatment, different crop cycles and harvesting methods. Armed with this knowledge,
villagers were able to grow vegetables and fruits in their backyard kitchen.
In fiscal 2021, ICICI RSETIs conducted 30 training sessions in 10 blocks in the district. Most of
the over 510 beneficiaries were women.
Digital training - response to challenges in the backdrop of Covid-19
The regular training programmes were impacted in the first half of fiscal 2021 due to the
nationwide lockdown. As the country started unlocking, a quick survey by the on-ground teams
revealed that there was a spurt in demand for professionals to repair mobile phones. This can
be largely attributed to the increasing digitisation of education and work. The teams at both
ICICI RSETIs -- Udaipur and Jodhpur – swung into action and launched online training in ‘Cellphone
Repairs & Service’ course. It covered over 450 candidates across 271 villages in these districts.
The trainers conducted online theory sessions on a digital platform which was followed up with
apprenticeship at over 160 mobile shops.
It is a matter of great pride that the shops that offered apprenticeship, are run by the
alumni.
All successful candidates received certificates of completion in an online valedictory ceremony.
We provided mobile phone repair toolkits free of cost to successful trainees to enable self
employment. More than 450 trainees of this initiative have secured
their livelihood either by becoming microentrepreneurs or by finding employment in mobile repair
shops across Rajasthan.
Through the online training, ICICI
RSETIs covered over 450 candidates
across 271 villages in Udaipur and
Jodhpur. The trainers conducted
online theory sessions on a digital
platform which was followed up
with apprenticeship at over 160
mobile shops.
Manufacture of PPE kits and face masks to support Covid-19 warriors
To facilitate the supply of masks and PPE kits during the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic,
ICICI RSETIs at Udaipur and Jodhpur responded to the situation by producing eco-friendly masks and
PPE kits. They procured the material, with the help of local administration and engaged with the
alumni of the ‘Women’s Tailor’ course for the production.
A group of 52 women entrepreneurs stitched PPE kits, while another lot of 450 made ecofriendly
face masks. Subsequently, the RSETIs donated these masks and PPE kits to the local district
officials for use at government hospitals. This opportunity helped the women to be gainfully
employed at a time, when the pandemic shut other avenues of their earning.
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